As I’ve said before, Thanksgiving and the December holidays are going to be expensive. Very expensive. My best advice? Get your tickets now — I know there are some signs of softening in demand due to the financial downturn and if you want to roll the dice on last minute deals — it may happen, but I am not confident of it.

Which got me to thinking: Halloween is on a Friday this year. The last day in October, of course – and October and early November are the last relatively cheap times of the year to fly*.

So, if you want a holiday getaway, why not make a long weekend of Halloween? See if you can take-off on Wednesday – generally, the cheapest day to fly. Or look for weekend deals – many of the legacy carriers feature some every week.

Remember, these days, Halloween is just as much a “grown-up” holiday as a kids’ celebration – so grab a costume and go!

*Don’t worry, there will be some deals in November and December – and the best way to find them is by using – what else — FareCompare.com.